


Take Care of You

by 27summer



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 10:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3764305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27summer/pseuds/27summer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quinn comes home to Lima to deal with a problem and Rachel is there for her. Spoilers through Season Five.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care of You

Shoving her phone back into her pocket, Quinn tried to calm herself down. She was in the middle of the airport and she couldn’t lose her temper just because her boyfriend was an idiot. Of course, that wasn’t quite fair. Before she’d boarded her plane, she’d left a voicemail saying she had to cancel her visit. It was last minute so it was natural that Puck was disappointed. They hadn’t seen each other since Christmas. And he had no idea why she had to come home to Lima instead of visit him. She didn’t want to have a long, drawn out conversation about everything with him so she didn’t explain anything to him. And now, he was pissed at her and-

“Quinn?”

At the sound of a soft voice, Quinn looked up. “Rachel? What are you doing here?”

“I’ve got a few weeks off so I came to see my dads.” Rachel threw her arms around Quinn. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You, too.” Quinn melted into Rachel’s embrace, feeling relaxed for the first time since her mother had called her the day before.

“What are you doing here?” Rachel asked as they pulled apart.

“It’s a long story.” Quinn picked up her bag as well as Rachel’s, waving off Rachel’s concern. “Do you want to share a cab back to Lima?”

“My dads are actually picking me up.” Rachel squealed when her dads came up behind her and hugged her tightly.

“Oh. Hello, Quinn,” Leroy said once he let go of Rachel and noticed her standing there awkwardly next to them

“Hi,” Quinn said, releasing Rachel’s bag. This was all too much. She wasn’t supposed to run into anyone she knew. She had to get away before she fell apart. “I’d better go. I’ll see you around, Rachel.”

“Wait,” Rachel said before Quinn walked away. “We can take you with us. We’re going the same way.”

“Right. It’s not out of our way,” Hiram agreed.

“Well.” Quinn thought about the offer. She hadn’t seen Rachel in so long and it would be nice to talk to her. On the other hand, Rachel would probably want to discuss why she came home. She looked into Rachel’s pleading eyes and shrugged, knowing she could never refuse her anything. “If you’re sure it’s no trouble.”

“No, it’s fine!” Rachel jumped into Quinn’s arms once again. “Oh, you never answered my question. Why are you here?”

“It’s not really an airport conversation,” Quinn said, making eye contact with a nodding Hiram. “And I’m guessing you two have already heard about what happened.”

“Lima’s a small town.” Leroy laid a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

“Okay.” Quinn averted her eyes, feeling uncomfortable with the sympathy in Leroy’s eyes.

“What’s going on?” Rachel asked, looking back and forth between Quinn and her fathers.

“Let’s get to the car, Rachel,” Leroy said and Quinn smiled at him gratefully. She really didn’t want to discuss this with an audience of strangers.

\-----------------------

Rachel managed to wait until they were on the highway, heading back to Lima before saying anything. She reached across the backseat and took Quinn’s hand. “So. What’s going on? Why did you come home?”

“My- my father’s dead,” Quinn said simply, looking down at her lap.

“Oh, Quinn. I’m so sorry.” Rachel’s free hand covered her mouth. She wanted to pull Quinn into her arms but she knew that wouldn’t comfort her right now.

“It was a heart attack.” Quinn clenched her jaw, obviously trying to control her emotions.

“What can I do?” Rachel asked, squeezing Quinn’s hand.

“There’s really nothing anyone can do. I- I don’t even know what I’m going to do.” Quinn looked over at Rachel appreciatively. “The ride home is honestly enough.”

“This is the least I can do. I- Quinn, if you need anything, I want you to promise you’ll call me. I’m here for three weeks and I’ll help however I can.” Rachel stared at Quinn pleadingly. She didn’t want to pressure Quinn; she just wanted to do something to make things easier on her.

“Okay, Rachel. If I need something, you’ll be the first person I call.”

“Good.” Rachel smiled at Quinn before releasing her hand and pulling out her iPod. “Do you want to listen to some music?”

“It’s not all Broadway, is it?” Quinn cracked a mischievous smile.

“Not all.” Rachel grinned back, glad that she’d gotten Quinn to smile a little bit.

\---------------------

Quinn hurried to the front door, grateful for the interruption from her hellish morning. Her mom was a bundle of nerves, her sister a mess of tears, her brother-in-law distant. Plus, Puck had found out about her father and was in a snit that she hadn’t told him. Maybe she should have but she thought that he could consider the fact that she was having a tough time and give her a break. She just wanted one moment of peace.

Quinn opened the door and smiled upon seeing Rachel holding a plastic container of food. “What are you doing here?’

“I know you said that you’d call but I wanted to do something for you and your family. I baked some brownies. I hope that’s okay.” Rachel smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. It’s so nice, actually.” Quinn shook her head at how amazing Rachel was. “You’ve got some pretty good timing. I’ve got to get out of here. I was thinking of taking my niece and nephew to the park. Do you want to come with me?”

“Sure! Of course. I can buy you guys lunch and we can have a picnic.” Rachel beamed at Quinn and she couldn’t help but smile back.

“You don’t have to do that.” Quinn felt calmer just by looking at Rachel but she didn’t want to put her out.

“I want to. It’ll be fun.” Rachel looked so eager to help that Quinn couldn’t resist.

“Okay. If you’re sure it’s not a problem.”

“Yea!” Rachel embraced her once more and Quinn loosened up even further. Maybe this time with Rachel would give her the break from her crazy family that she needed.

\----------------

Glancing over at Quinn, Rachel tried not to show how worried she was. Taking Quinn and her niece and nephew out was the least she could do but it would be ruined if she pressured her in any way.

“Rachel, I’m fine,” Quinn said with a wry smile.

“What?” Rachel was surprised that Quinn noticed her staring. She’d honestly thought she’d been sly.

“Your mind is running a mile a minute. I can tell you’re worried but I’m fine.”

“How- how can you be?” Rachel asked. She knew that Quinn had issues with her father but she couldn’t imagine being fine after one of her dads died.

“Truthfully, I just haven’t let myself think about it. I’ve been focusing on my sister and my mom. Distracting the kids.” Quinn nodded at the two seven year olds playing in front of them.

“It’s not a bad thing to take care of people,” Rachel said carefully. “But when are you taking care of yourself?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really want to.”

“Quinn-” Rachel stopped when Quinn held her hand up.

“I know what you’re going to say but I just can’t deal with it right now. I’ve got enough stress in my life.” Quinn blew out a breath. “Puck found out and is pissed I didn’t tell him myself.”

Rachel winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you hadn’t told him. I called to ask him how you were doing. I thought it’d be less pressure if I asked him.”

“It’s not your fault, you didn’t know.” Quinn shook her head. “I just told him I had to cancel our visit. I didn’t explain anything else.”

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

“We both have issues with our fathers. I- I didn’t know if he could give me support the way I needed.” Quinn scoffed. “I’d say I underestimated him except he bitched for twenty minutes last night about how I hurt his feelings by not calling.”

“Ouch.” Rachel rubbed Quinn’s arm. “Maybe he was just hurt. Maybe he’ll call and make things up to you.”

“Maybe,” Quinn agreed doubtfully. “But I’ve got more important things to worry about than Puck’s ego.”

“Sorry I made things more difficult for you.” Rachel felt awful. She’d wanted to help but she’d only added to Quinn’s problems.

“You’ve helped more than you hurt. I didn’t know how much I needed to get out of the house until you showed up.” Quinn smiled.

“That’s not a problem.” Rachel leaned over and put her arm around Quinn. “I’m just so glad that I could help you.”

“I’m glad that you’re here,” Quinn whispered. “I really need at least one person who cares about me.”

“I do care for you, Quinn. I’m never going to stop.” Rachel shifted, bringing her hand up to cup Quinn’s cheek. Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t quite figure out why being this close to Quinn made her feel so unsettled. All she knew was that she’d do anything to comfort her.

\-----------------

Quinn flipped the lock on her bedroom, tossing her phone on her dresser. All she wanted was to block out the rest of the world. It was just too much. Her family. Puck. She didn’t even have a minute to think. Everyone wanted something every second. She was close to a breakdown. She needed to get away or she was going to completely flip out. “Finally, something occurred to her and she grabbed her phone. “Hey, Rachel, it’s Quinn. Do you want to do something? Great. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Bye.”

Quinn slipped her shoes on, careful to avoid making any sound as she made her way out of the house. She didn’t have to wait long before Rachel’s car pulled up.

“Hi, Quinn,” Rachel said as Quinn got into her dad’s car.

“Hey. Thanks for picking me up. I- I just needed to get away. Everyone’s driving me nuts.” Quinn let out a sigh of relief. Just being in Rachel’s presence reassured her.

“No problem. I told you to call me. I’m just a little surprised you actually did.”

“Really?” Quinn looked at Rachel nervously tapping her steering wheel and relaxed even further. It was nice that she wasn’t the only one who felt awkward.

“Well, yes. You’re not one to ask for help normally. I was wracking my mind trying to come up with a reason to come see you,” Rachel admitted with a shy smile.

“I- I appreciate that. I could use someone who isn’t expecting something out of me,” Quinn said sullenly. She could feel herself getting agitated once again but she couldn’t seem to stop it.

“I’m sorry. That sounds patronizing but I really am.”

“It’s not patronizing, it actually feels really nice that someone actually cares about me.” Quinn looked out the window, feeling pathetic that she seemed so alone.

“Quinn? What’s going on? People care about you.” Rachel parked the car in her driveway and placed her hand over Quinn’s.

Quinn shook her head, attempting to collect herself. She didn’t call Rachel just to fall apart. “It sounds ridiculous. I’m surrounded by people all of the time but it’s like they all expect something from me. I’m the support for everyone else but who supports me? Just because I’m not constantly in tears, it doesn’t mean I’m not hurting.”

“Well, of course you are. And I’m sorry your family isn’t there for you.” Rachel laced her fingers with Quinn’s and squeezed. “But I’m here. I want to help. Whatever you need.”

“Thank you.” Quinn chewed on her lip as she mulled over Rachel’s words. She wasn’t used to having someone wanting to help her. “Do you think we could just go inside and watch a movie or something? I don’t want to talk right now.”

“Sure. Of course.” Rachel smiled before releasing Quinn’s hand and getting out of her car.

“Thank you, Rachel.” Quinn followed Rachel into her house, slightly surprised at how much better she felt just by spending time with Rachel. It seemed like Rachel was always there just when she need her. It almost felt like there wasn’t anything that she could do that would push her away. And that was really nice to have, considering the rest of her life was full of people ready to drop her at the first sign of imperfection.

\----------------

“So, what do you think?” Rachel asked eagerly as the credits began to roll on their movie.

“It was good. Not as good as you on Broadway, though. Is that why you wanted to watch Funny Girl? To fish for compliments?” Quinn teased.

“No! It’s just my favorite movie and you said you didn’t care what we watched.”

“Relax, I was joking.” Quinn poked her side. “But that does remind me. Why are you here? I can’t imagine you get long breaks from the show. Unless you’re headed out to L.A. to shoot a TV show.”

Rachel rolled her eyes, feeling embarrassed by her brief detour from Broadway. “Cute. No, they wouldn’t let me out of my contract and I don’t really want that kind of fame anyway. I’ve got three weeks off because there was a fire at the theater and repairs need to be made.”

“Oh, my God. Was anyone hurt?”

“No, it was late at night. There’s just some structural damage to the building. So, I’ve got some time to hang out with you.” Rachel smiled at Quinn who grinned back.

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” Quinn said shyly.

“Me, too.” Rachel turned off the TV. “Do you want me to take you home or do you want to hang out a little longer?”

“I don’t want to put you out.”

“Don’t worry about me. I want to be there for you. What do you want?” Rachel asked. She hoped Quinn would stay. There was something in her that wanted to take care of Quinn. She couldn’t do that if Quinn was gone. She’d only be able to worry.

“I’d like to stay a little longer. I’m not quite ready to go home.” Quinn shrugged, noticeably uneasy.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Rachel scooted over to Quinn, pressing her leg to Quinn’s.

“Thank you, Rachel,” Quinn whispered, looking at Rachel with a soft look in her eyes.

“It’s not a problem. I’d do anything for you.” Rachel looked back at Quinn, her heart beating faster. She didn’t understand what she was feeling but she didn’t want it to stop. She wanted to keep Quinn right next to her for as long as she could.

“You’re so thoughtful.”

“I-” Rachel dropped her eyes to her lap. Something was going on with them but she didn’t want to upset Quinn. She had to get them talking about something else. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, sure. Of course.” Quinn pressed her leg back against Rachel’s.

“Why is your mom worrying about the funeral plans? Aren’t your parents divorced?” Rachel cringed when Quinn pulled away. She’d wanted to put distance between them and she’d genuinely wanted to know the answers to those questions but she didn’t mean to hurt Quinn. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m the one who called you up, the least I can do is explain the situation.” Quinn sighed, obviously giving herself a chance to gather her thoughts. “My grandparents hate his new wife. They asked my mom if she’d handle things and she agreed. It’s awkward but they were married for thirty years. That’s a lot of history.”

“It is. I’m sorry I brought it up.” Rachel took in Quinn’s blank face and wished she’d kept her mouth shut. She should’ve let Quinn open up in her own time.

“I’m glad that you did.” Quinn scoffed. “I can’t talk about this with my family. The act like it’s not weird when it’s insane. It’s all so ridiculous. My parents were divorced for years. My dad was remarried to a woman younger than my sister.”

“She’s younger than your sister?” Rachel didn’t mean to interrupt but her curiously got the better of her.

“Yup. And she’s only five years older than me.” Quinn shook her head, losing her composure. “Can you believe that?”

“No,” Rachel said quietly. She fought her instinct to gather Quinn into her arms. “That’s awful.”

“I haven’t even met her. I’ve only seen my dad twice since he kicked me out,” Quinn ranted, her voice getting louder. “When I was in the hospital after my car accident and at graduation. That’s all. He still thought of me as a disappointment. He didn’t want anything to do with me. And now it’s too late. I’m never going to get the change to settle this.”

“I’m sorry.” Rachel had never felt more useless in her life. All she could do was watch as Quinn wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t know how to help her but she wanted to so badly.

“I just don’t understand. I know I messed up but why did he reject me so completely? Am I really that bad? Is there something wrong with me?” Quinn asked, finally looking over at Rachel.

“There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s him. He’s the one who messed up. You didn’t deserve any of it.” Rachel grabbed Quinn, throwing her arms around her. She couldn’t listen to Quinn beat herself up over her father. She had to do something.

“It hurts, Rachel.” Quinn buried her face into Rachel’s neck, tears falling steadily.

“I know it does.” Rachel rubbed Quinn’s back, hoping she was helping. She didn’t know what else to do.

“Sorry for freaking out on you.” Quinn finally pulled back, lifting her head and wiping her eyes.

“Don’t apologize for feeling bad. I think it’s probably a good thing for you to get your emotions out.” Rachel cupped Quinn’s face in her hands. “It doesn’t mean you’re weak.”

“Of course it does,” Quinn said, ducking her head away from Rachel’s touch.

“No. you’re the furthest thing from weak in this world,” Rachel insisted.

“I don’t- I can’t talk about this anymore. Can we just stop?” Quinn asked, looking at Rachel with tear-filled eyes.

“Yes. Of course. I didn’t want to pressure you.” Rachel hesitated, not wanting to push Quinn. “Do you want to spend the night? I’ll- I’ll take you home if you want but I’d like it if you’d stay.”

“I don’t want to go home but I don’t want to put you out, either,” Quinn said timidly.

“You’re not putting me out. I like having you here.” Rachel stood up before Quinn could change her mind. She grabbed some sweats and tossed them over to her. “I’ll change in the bathroom.”

“Okay.”

A few minutes later, Rachel came back into the room to find Quinn lying under her sheets. She climbed onto the other side of the bed. “Are you comfortable? Do you need another pillow?”

“No, this is good.”

“Good night, Quinn,” Rachel said, shooting Quinn a smile.

“Night, Rachel.” Quinn smiled back before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Rachel’s smile grew wider. This was the most peaceful she’d seen Quinn in a long time.

\-------------

A smile spread across Quinn’s face when she heard the doorbell rang. She hurried to the door, anxious to see Rachel. It had been three days since she had fallen apart at Rachel’s and she felt much better. Talking out her feelings had actually helped, much as she hated to admit it. The best part was Rachel hadn’t pushed her to keep talking. She hadn’t brought it up in all the times they’d hung out since and Quinn really appreciated that. Quinn was really glad that she had one person to be around who didn’t have expectations for her. She couldn’t wait to see what Rachel had planned for her today. She flung the door open and her jaw dropped. “Puck? What are you doing here?”

“You needed me. I got some emergency leave.” Puck pulled Quinn into a hug. “I really missed you, Babe.”

“I missed you, too.” Quinn put her arms around Puck automatically while her mind raced. She wasn’t prepared for this at all. She knew she should be happy to see her boyfriend but all she felt was confused. To be quite honest, it was a relief to have an excuse not to have to go and see him.

“Are you okay?” Puck asked, cupping her cheek

“Yes.” Quinn fought the urge to roll her eyes. Puck was just trying to help her. There was no need to be short with him when he asked stupid questions.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with all of this by yourself. I wish I could have been here sooner.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t exactly have a choice.” Quinn ducked away from Puck’s touch. She knew it was weird but she didn’t feel comfortable with him. “Besides, Rachel was helping me out.”

“Really? That’s a little bit strange.” Puck frowned. “You’re not really friends.”

“Sure, we’re friends.” Quinn tried not to be irritated. None of this was Puck’s fault.

“Whatever.” Puck scowled, opening his mouth to say something when Rachel pulled up to the house. “What is she even doing here?”

“We made plans.” Quinn elbowed his side, glaring until he put a smile on his face.

“Wow, this is a surprise.” Rachel looked from Quinn to Puck with a nervous look on her face.

“Yeah, Puck just showed up a few minutes ago.” Quinn smiled hesitantly. Rachel looked troubled and Quinn didn’t know what to do about it.

“That’s- that’s sweet.” Rachel smiled awkwardly.

“Thanks for taking care of my girl.” Puck slung his arm around Quinn’s waist. “You don’t mind if she hangs out with me today, right?”

“Puck! We made plans. I’m not going to ditch Rachel just because you’re here. The three of us can do something together.” Quinn glared at him again.

“It’s fine. You two have fun.”

“But-” Quinn frowned when Rachel backed away. She didn’t want to hurt Rachel ever. “We had plans.”

“Don’t worry about it. You haven’t seen each other in months. I’ll see you around.” Rachel hugged her. “Call me if you need me.”

“Good bye,” Quinn said as Rachel walked away. She could tell that Rachel was upset but she didn’t know how to fix it.

“Well, I guess now we’ve got some time alone, huh?” Puck tightened his hold on her.

“Yeah.” Quinn attempted a smile but she knew she wasn’t successful. She should feel right in Puck’s arms but she didn’t. And she was just worried about the funny look on Rachel’s face. She hoped Puck’s surprise visit wouldn’t ruin her and Rachel’s friendship.

\----------------

Rachel drove back to her dads’ house, a strange feeling coming over her. She didn’t understand what she was feeling. When she’d pulled up and seen Noah right next to Quinn, her heart had fallen into her stomach. He was touching her and Rachel didn’t like that at all. She had wanted to go over to them and push him away. That was crazy, though. Why wasn’t she happy that Quinn had the comfort of her boyfriend? With the ridiculousness of her family, Quinn could use someone else who was on her side. She wanted Quinn to have all the support she needed. So why did she want to Noah to go back to his air force base and leave Quinn all to herself? It made absolutely no sense. She felt horrible about it. She wanted to help Quinn, not make things harder for her. But since she was so jealous, maybe she should avoid her for a while. Maybe that would make things easier.

\------------------

Quinn bit back a groan, wanting to hide how annoyed she was. Her boyfriend who she hadn’t seen in months was here. She should be happy. She shouldn’t be aggravated that Rachel appeared to be avoiding her. Rachel had texted a few times but that was all. And yeah, it had only been a day but Rachel had been making sure she was okay. Quinn kind of missed it. She knew Rachel was probably trying to give her and Puck space but she didn’t want that. She wanted Rachel.

“Babe? You okay?” Puck looked at her in concern.

“Yeah.” Quinn sighed. This couldn’t go on. She had to put a stop to it. “Let’s go for a walk. Maybe to the park.”

“Sure.” Puck took her hand and they walked the neighborhood in silence for several moments until they reached the park. “Quinn, is something wrong? “Did I do something?”

“No. it’s not you, it’s us.” Quinn released his hand as they stopped. “This isn’t working anymore, Puck.”

“What are you saying?” Puck looked at her, panicking.

“We’re- This isn’t how a relationship is supposed to be,” Quinn said simply. She’d been thinking about this for a while. It had been hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem was. She still didn’t know exactly what was wrong between them, just that it didn’t feel right anymore.

“Your dad just died, Quinn. You’re upset. That doesn’t have anything to do with us.”

“No, it does. Because my dad died and I didn’t call you. That doesn’t make sense, does it?” Quinn asked him.

“No,” Puck admitted. “But I love you. I don’t want this to be over.”

“I think it is, though. You know that it’s been getting harder and harder.” Quinn sighed. “It’s too difficult and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

“I’ve wanted you for so long. I don’t want to give up just ‘cause it’s hard,” Puck said, shrugging uncertainly.

“Puck, I don’t like having a boyfriend I see twice a year. I don’t like not being able to get in touch with you when I need to talk. I-”

“That’s not my fault,” Puck interrupted her. “That’s part of being in the Air Force.”

“I know and I’m not trying to make you feel bad but it’s a problem and it’s not going away,” Quinn pointed out. “You like what you’re doing, right?”

“Yeah, but I won’t be in forever and I could-”

“No.” Quinn held up her hands to Puck, trying to keep him calm. “I don’t want you to give up something you love for me. That would only make our problems worse.”

“There’s got to be something we can do. I don’t want to lose you. I love you.” Puck grabbed her hands.

“Do you really? Or do you just think you’re supposed to because we had a baby together?”

“But-”

Quinn freed one of her hands and covered his mouth. “We are surrounded by people who found the love of their life in High School. Brittany and Santana. Kurt and Blaine. Even Rachel and Finn, if he hadn’t died. I think we both got caught up in that and let it influence our feelings.”

“You’re saying you never really loved me.” Puck broke away from her, turning his back.

“No, I just-” Quinn closed her eyes, trying to figure out what to say. She didn’t want to hurt him more but she couldn’t pretend this relationship was what she wanted anymore. “Puck, come on. You know I’m right. My visit to your base was supposed to fix things. I wanted to make everything right again. But my dad died and I couldn’t go and everything fell apart.”

“Just give it some time, Quinn.” Puck spun around, looking at her pleadingly. “You’re emotional right now. Maybe it’ll feel right in a few weeks.”

“I know what I’m saying, Puck. I can’t do this anymore. I knew that before I even got the call about my dad.” Quinn rubbed at her forehead. She meant what she said. She’d been having these feelings for a long time. She’d tried to ignore them, tried to make it work with Puck. She didn’t want another failed relationship. But it was over.

“You can’t know that,” Puck protested.

“I can. We tried. We won’t have to wonder anymore if we could’ve made it work.” Quinn leaned up and pressed her lips softly to Puck. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sure about this?” Puck asked, his forehead resting against Quinn’s. “I understand that you’re hurting and I don’t want to make things worse for you.”

“I appreciate that.” Quinn pulled away, a weight lifting off of her now that her relationship with Puck was settled. “I’m sorry you came all of this way for nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.” Puck smiled sadly. “I wanted to help you.”

“Thank you.” Quinn bit her lip. “But I think it would be better if you left.”

“Why? The funeral is tomorrow. I can stay until then.”

“No.” Quinn shook her head, feeling stronger as they talked. “My mom and sister hate you. I know you’ve heard the little remarks. It’d be easier if you were gone.”

“You need someone there for you.”

“I- Rachel would come if I asked her. And- I’ll be okay, Puck. You don’t have to protect me anymore.”

“Okay.” Puck leaned in, kissing her cheek. “Promise you’ll call if I can help.”

“Promise. Thank you, Puck.” Quinn smiled as they walked back to her mom’s. There was one less stressful problem in her life.

\--------------

Rachel looked at Quinn anxiously. She arrived a few minutes earlier and asked if they could hang out but she hadn’t said anything else. Rachel was starting to get worried. “Quinn? Not that I mind having you here but what’s up? Did you and Noah have a fight?”

“We broke up,” Quinn said, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them.

“What? He broke up with you after your dad died? That bastard. I’ll-”

“No. Relax. I broke up with him. And it was a long time coming.” Quinn blew out a breath. “I wish he hadn’t felt the need to come down here and I could have done it another time but it was going to happen eventually.”

“I-” Rachel felt all of the air leave her. She was relieved that Quinn was talking. And despite the fact that it made her a bad person, she was ecstatic that Quinn and Noah broke up. “And you’re all right?”

“Yes. It’s been hard for a while. And him being here only made it obvious what needed to happen. I didn’t want him here.” Quinn snorted. “That was probably a sign.”

“I’m happy that you’re not sad. But I wish this hadn’t happened right now.” Rachel took Quinn’s hand and squeezed.

“I- I really missed you. I know it was only a few days but I like having you around.” Quinn blushed as Rachel stared at her.

“I missed you, too. I wanted to give you and Noah time to yourselves.” Rachel grew warm under Quinn’s gaze. She couldn’t help but be happy that Quinn wanted her around.

“I know. But all I wanted was you. You make me feel better, Rach.” Quinn tilted her head, smiling shyly.

“Good. Because that’s all I want.” Rachel reached out to rub Quinn’s cheek. Quinn was so wonderful. She’d do anything to help her.

“You’re the only one who can. I mean it. My family acts like I don’t care so they expect me to be strong for them. But you- you’re just there for me no matter what I need.” Quinn leaned into Rachel’s touch.

“I want to be there for you. You’re not a bad person, Quinn.” Rachel pulled Quinn close to her, wrapping her arms around her.

“Rach? Do you think we could sit like this for a little while?” Quinn asked, snuggling even closer to her.

“We can stay here forever if that’s what you want,” Rachel murmured. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else when Quinn needed her.

\--------------

Quinn stalked outside, trying to keep from flipping out. Dealing with her mom and sister was bad enough; forget about the rest of her family. You would think that they could set aside their judgments of her at her father’s funeral but no. Her extended family had to comment on her getting pregnant as a teenager. It was ridiculous and she had to get out of there before she blew up. Screaming at her grandmother would not endear her to the rest of the family, even if it was deserved.

“Quinn?” Rachel came up to her, a worried look on her face.

“Oh, Rachel.” Quinn threw herself into Rachel’s arms. “I really can’t stand my family.”

“I’m sorry. What can I do?” Rachel asked, patting Quinn’s back.

“Just- just stay with me.” Quinn pulled back to look at Rachel’s face. “I know you won’t be able to sit with me during the service or at the grave site but promise you’ll be there. That you won’t leave me.”

“I won’t,” Rachel swore. “Whatever you need me to do, I will.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Rachel linked her arm with Quinn’s. “What else can I do?”

“I just want stay out here a little longer.” Quinn sighed, looking up at the sky.

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Good.” Quinn kept her hold on Rachel, feeling stronger than longer she held on.

\-----------------

Standing next to Quinn, Rachel tried not to move around nervously. They had been standing alone at the grave site for quite a long time. The rest of Quinn’s family had left a while ago but Quinn just stared at her father’s grave, not moving at all. Rachel was worried and powerless. She didn’t know what to do. It couldn’t possibly be healthy for Quinn to be staring like this but Rachel didn’t want to rush her, either. She wanted to give Quinn all of the time she needed to work through this.

“Well, this is it, huh?” Quinn finally looked over at Rachel. “My dad’s buried. I can go back to my own life now.”

“What do you want to do?” Rachel asked, still fearful of Quinn’s frozen demeanor.

“Let’s get out of here. It’s done.” Quinn shot one last look at the grave.

“Sure.” Rachel took Quinn’s hand, leading her to her dad’s car. Once they were both inside, she turned to Quinn. “Where do you want to go?”

“I have no idea. I don’t- I don’t know what to do. It’s all over. I- My father’s dead and I-” Quinn broke down into tears, covering her face with her hands.

“Shh. I’m so sorry.” Rachel tried to gather Quinn into her arms, irritated that she couldn’t embrace her the way she wanted in the tight confines of the car.

“I’m so stupid. I haven’t even seen him in two years. Why am I crying?” Quinn buried her face into Rachel’s neck.

“He was your father. Of course you’re upset.” Rachel rubbed her back. She wanted to fix this but she was at a complete loss.

“He didn’t care about me. Why do I care so much about him?” Quinn hiccupped, unable to stop her tears.

“He’s your dad.” Rachel knew she was repeating herself but she didn’t know what else to say. There was nothing she could do to make things better and that killed her. All Rachel wanted was to wrap Quinn up and keep her safe and happy.

“It hurts, Rachel,” Quinn said, grasping onto Rachel’s shirt.

“I know, Sweetie. I’m sorry.” Tears filled Rachel’s eyes and she fought to control herself. She wouldn’t do Quinn any good if she fell apart herself.

“I need you. Please don’t leave me.”

“No. Never.” Rachel closed her eyes as she held firmly to Quinn. She wanted to hold onto her forever; never letting anyone hurt her ever again. She cared about her so much. She loved her. As she had the thought, Rachel’s eyes flew open and she gasped.

“What? Are you okay?” Quinn pulled back, wiping at her eyes.

“I think that’s my question for you.” Rachel forced a smile as she reached up to clear the tears from Quinn’s face, struggling to keep her hands steady. She didn’t want to give herself away. Quinn didn’t need more stress in her life.

“I- I’m not okay,” Quinn admitted.

“That’s fine. You’ve had a tough week. You’re allowed to be a mess.” Rachel pressed her lips to Quinn’s cheek. “But you’re a beautiful mess. And you’re going to be okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’ve so strong, Quinn. You’ve overcome so much in your life. You’ll make it through.” Rachel gazed at Quinn, her heart racing. She believed every word that she was saying and she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She wanted Quinn to have everything.

Eventually, Quinn’s sobs slowed down and she lifted her head. “That was unnecessary. I’m sorry for crying all over you.”

“No apologies. You are fine. You don’t- It’s okay for you to be upset.” Rachel fumbled over her words. She had no idea how to react to her realization that she was in love with Quinn. It made it difficult to focus on helping her. Her mind was reeling but she couldn’t put this on Quinn. Not when she was dealing with so much in her life.

“I don’t like crying in front of other people. I don’t like crying at all.” Quinn tried to keep her face blank, but her chin wobbled with emotions.

“I know that. But sometimes, you just have to. You can’t be strong all of the time.” Rachel pressed her cheek to Quinn’s. “Even if you are the strongest person I know.”

“No.” Quinn snorted. “I- I’m not strong.”

“You are. I couldn’t imagine what I’d be like if one of my dads died. I think I’d fall apart completely.” Rachel closed her eyes as she tried to control her emotions.

“It’s not the same. I haven’t spoken to my dad in years.”

“And now you won’t get the chance to change it. That has to hurt.” Rachel pulled back so that she could look into Quinn’s eyes. “And feeling bad doesn’t mean that you’re weak.”

“Oh.” Quinn sniffled, pulling away from Rachel and leaning back in her seat. “I know that you’re right. At least in my head. But it doesn’t feel like you are.”

“I wish I knew how to convince you. I want to help but I don’t know how.” Rachel stared at Quinn worriedly.

“I don’t think you can help me with that. But just having you with me is more help then you know.”

Rachel scoffed. “I’m not doing anything really.”

“You are,” Quinn insisted. “Nobody else has made me feel better. It’s only you, Rach.”

“You really mean it?” Rachel asked hopefully. She knew it was selfish but she needed confirmation that she wasn’t totally useless.

“I do. I’ve said it before but you’re the only one who seems to care about me.” Quinn shook her head in disbelief. “Even when Puck came, it was more about playing the part of my boyfriend. Of being the good guy. He didn’t really care about me.”

“That’s not true.” Rachel was glad that Quinn and Noah broke up but she didn’t want Quinn feeling bad about herself.

“It’s not completely true but it is a little bit.” Quinn sighed. “Puck loved the idea of me, just like everyone else. I don’t think anyone’s ever loved the real me."

“I-” Rachel stopped herself before blurting out her feelings. Quinn wouldn’t believe her and it would probably make things worse.

“Don’t- I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s done with Puck. And I’m glad. I just- I’m upset and I don’t want to be alone right now,” Quinn said sadly.

“You’re not alone. I’m here and I’m not leaving until you make me.” Rachel embraced her again.

“Good.” Quinn leaned against Rachel. “Let’s stay here, okay?”

“Of course. Whatever you want.” Rachel rubbed her back. She’d stay like this forever if Quinn would let her.

\------------------

Quinn stared at Rachel quizzically. They were in Rachel’s room, watching a movie and Rachel couldn’t stay still. She kept fidgeting like she was uncomfortable and Quinn couldn’t figure out why. Rachel had been acting weird all day. She wouldn’t make eye contact and she jumped when Quinn touched her. Quinn just didn’t understand it. Rachel usually was so good at distracting her from her troubles and now it was like she just wanted to get away from her.

Of course. Rachel was tired of baby-sitting her but didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Quinn was being selfish. This was supposed to be Rachel’s vacation but she was stuck with Quinn. “I can go, you know. You don’t have to entertain me.”

“What?” Rachel met Quinn’s eyes briefly before darting away.

“I’m not stupid. You don’t want me here.” Quinn knew she sounded pathetic but she just wanted to spend time with Rachel. It hurt to know that Rachel didn’t feel the same.

“No! Of course I do,” Rachel protested.

“You won’t even look at me. I get it, okay? You want some time to yourself but you don’t want to hurt my feelings. Poor Quinn with the dead father.” Quinn scoffed.

“That’s not it. I swear. I love having you here,” Rachel declared.

“Then why are you acting like this?” Quinn was horrified when her eyes started to fill with tears. She turned away, unwilling to seem vulnerable.

“I’m sorry. It’s not you.” Rachel climbed over the bed, hugging Quinn from behind. “I- I’ve got a lot on my mind. But I want you here. I like having you with me.”

“You don’t have to say that. I understand if you need some time to yourself.” Quinn covered Rachel’s hand on her stomach, leaning back against her. She never felt more secure than when she was wrapped up in Rachel. She really hoped Rachel wouldn’t send her away.

“I don’t. I- I’m sorry that I’ve made you think I don’t want you here. That couldn’t be further from the truth.” Rachel kissed the back of Quinn’s neck and immediately tensed.

“Are you okay?” Quinn asked as she turned around. It wasn’t like Rachel to become uneasy during physical contact, especially when she was the one who initiated it.

“I am.” Rachel nodded, avoiding Quinn’s eyes once again.

“You can talk to me, you know. Despite the fact that I’m fairly selfish with everyone else, I’m always ready to listen to you.” Quinn ducked her head, willing Rachel to look at her. She didn’t know what the problem was but she wanted to help her.

“You’re not selfish. Even in high school, you were there for me.” Rachel met Quinn’s eyes nervously.

“Well, tell me what’s going on. You’re so jittery.” Quinn adjusted her stance on the bed, pulling Rachel into her lap until she was straddling her.

“I- uh- Sorry.” Rachel closed her eyes as if she were in pain. Her breathing quickened and Quinn started to get worried.

“Rach?” Quinn leaned in, pressing her cheek to Rachel’s.

“I’m fine,” Rachel said, keeping her eyes shut as she took some deep breaths.

“You don’t look it.” Quinn nuzzled her way into Rachel’s neck, breathing in her scent. She couldn’t get enough of her. She didn’t know why but she couldn’t resist getting close to her.

“I- I am.”

“Your heart’s racing,” Quinn said, taking in Rachel’s panicked demeanor.

“Maybe it’s you.” Rachel froze.

“Maybe it is,” Quinn teased, her lips hovering over Rachel’s. Her own heart started to beat faster. She really hadn’t thought this through. She just wanted to be closer to her. However, as nice as having Rachel in her lap was, they still hadn’t talked about anything important.

“Yeah?” Rachel bit her lip, looking at Quinn nervously.

“Mmm hmm.” Quinn pulled Rachel back to her, resting her head on Rachel’s chest. “Maybe we should turn the movie back on.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Rachel tried to move but Quinn kept her in place. “You’re going to have to let me up.”

“Okay.” Quinn lifted her head, smirking at the blush on Rachel’s face. It was nice to know she was still able to affect someone like that.

“Yeah.” Rachel blew out a breath as she settled herself next to Quinn.

“Rach?” Quinn asked, looking at her fondly.

“Do you need something?”

“No, I just- I wanted to thank you for everything. You didn’t have to do any of it and I really appreciate it. Especially since you’re going through something yourself.” Quinn smiled. She wanted Rachel to know that she realized how lucky she was to have Rachel in her life.

“I- It’s nothing. And I don’t mind. I love- I love spending time with you.” Rachel averted her eyes like she was embarrassed.

“You’re so sweet.” Quinn turned the movie back on, relieved that things seemed better between them. Maybe it was time to get back to normal.

\-------------------

Rachel groaned to herself. Quinn seemed determined to drive her insane. She was glad that Quinn was feeling better but it was difficult to stand it when Quinn was right next to her, touching her, looking at her. And now, they were in her fathers’ pool and Quinn was wearing the world’s tiniest bikini. Being outside and swimming was supposed to be a good way to spend time with Quinn without getting to close to her. Clearly, she didn’t think things through and she now had to look at Quinn’s perfect body. Which wasn’t the worst view she’d ever seen. Except that she was supposed to being thinking of Quinn as a friend and not lusting after her.

Looking down at her feet, Rachel kicked at the water. It was almost like Quinn was baiting her. She kept touching her waist, brushing against her. She swam close to her, showing off her long legs. She bent down to pick up her towel, giving Rachel an impressive view of her chest. How was Rachel supposed to keep her cool? She was only human and Quinn was quite possibly the most beautiful girl on the planet.

Rachel knew this was happening too fast. She’d only recently realized her feelings. This wasn’t the time to be acting on them. Quinn wasn’t in a place where she could deal with them. Even if Quinn was acting like maybe she shared them.

“Hey, you okay?” Quinn burst out of the water, tugging playfully on Rachel’s leg dangling in the water.

“Sure. I’m just thinking.” Rachel was careful to keep her eyes on Quinn’s, even though all she wanted to do was gaze down at the water clinging to Quinn’s body.

“You think too much. You should get in the water.”

“That’s not the best idea.” Rachel met Quinn’s flirtatious grin with a smile of her own. She was reading too much into this. Quinn’s life had finally calmed down and she was just enjoying being a twenty year old college student on summer vacation. It meant nothing.

“I think it’s a great idea.” Quinn grabbed both of Rachel’s legs and yanked her into the water. “Having fun?”

“Not funny, Quinn!” Rachel sputtered as she came out of the water.

“I think it’s hilarious.” Quinn pushed teasingly on Rachel’s shoulders.

“Not again!” Rachel fought back against Quinn, splashing water at her. “Still think it’s funny?”

“Yes!” Quinn splashed back ferociously.

“Quinn! Stop it!” Rachel squealed, using one arm to cover her eyes and splashing with the other arm. She laughed as Quinn kept spraying water at her.

“You give up yet?” Quinn asked.

“No!” Rachel gasped when Quinn used her legs to hold on to Rachel’s waist.

“You are? I seem to have you trapped.” Quinn forced Rachel against the wall of the pool, her arms on either side of Rachel’s body.

“You do.” Rachel swallowed hard. There was nowhere for her to go. Quinn’s body pressed against her own, those long legs holding her so tightly.

“Guess that means I’m the winner.” Quinn smirked, her face hovering over Rachel’s.

“Yeah.” Rachel breathing was labored. Quinn had to think she was a freak but she just couldn’t help herself. Quinn was so gorgeous and she had all of these feelings for her and she was all tangled up with her. She was seconds away from making a mistake that would destroy their friendship.

“What’s my prize for wining?” Quinn asked, her voice low.

“Whatever you want.” Rachel couldn’t keep from flirting. She knew Quinn didn’t mean to tease her but she enjoyed it, even though she knew she shouldn’t.

“Hmm.” Quinn’s gaze dropped to Rachel’s mouth and she licked her lips.

“Whoa. It’s hot. I’ll go get us some drinks.” Rachel broke the spell between them, pushing Quinn back so she could hoist herself out of the pool. It was too intense.

“Wait.” Quinn grabbed Rachel’s waist. “Where are you going?”

“To get drinks. I’m thirsty.” Rachel smiled fleetingly.

“No. You- you’re scared. What’s wrong? We were having fun and now you’re running away.” Quinn bit her lip, looking confused.

“I- I’m not running away.” Rachel tried to come up with a reason that wasn’t I want to kiss you senseless but she couldn’t.

“You are,” Quinn insisted. “I obviously did something to make you feel on edge. Tell me what I did.”

“No, you didn’t do anything.” Rachel couldn’t believe this. She’d been trying to protect Quinn but she’d only made things worse.

“I did. Because you can’t even look at me right now.”

“Oh, Quinn, I-” Rachel stopped. There wasn’t anything she could say to fix this. “You’re perfect, Quinn.”

“Rachel?” Quinn looked uncertain.

“You’re perfect,” Rachel repeated. “And smart and kind and vulnerable. And I’ve tried so hard to avoid this, to forget. But this has been building since we came back to Lima. Maybe even longer than that.”

“What’s building?” Quinn whispered, her face losing its confusion.

“I-” Rachel pulled Quinn’s head down and kissed her. Immediately, her body grew warm and she needed more. She kissed her harder, slipping her tongue in when Quinn’s mouth opened. This kiss was nearly everything she’d dreamed it would be.

“Wow.” Quinn grinned, keeping her grip on Rachel’s waist as they pulled apart for air.

“Yeah.” Rachel smiled back, punch drunk from that kiss. At least until it hit her what she’d just done.

“Hey, you.” Quinn used one hand to brush wet hair from Rachel’s face. “No serious face. This is a good thing.”

Rachel shook her head. She wanted to run but Quinn wouldn’t let her. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this.”

“Why? I wanted you to. I kissed you back.” Quinn bent down to get closer. “It’s like you said. This has been building for a long time.”

“You- your dad just died. You’re going through a lot. I’m taking advantage. No matter what I’m feeling, it doesn’t mean you reciprocate. You’ve never even been with a woman,” Rachel rambled, knowing she sounded like an idiot but she couldn’t stop. If she did, Quinn might agree with her and that would break her heart.

“I’ve been with a woman before.”

“Wait. What?” Rachel stopped, looking at Quinn in shock.

“Yeah. Santana. Last year at Mr. Schue’s wedding.” Quinn shrugged. “We were tipsy and I was curious. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Okay.” Rachel felt a flash of jealousy run through her, but she ignored it. There were more important things for them to discuss. “But you were drunk and one woman doesn’t necessarily mean-”

“Rachel,” Quinn interrupted, covering Rachel’s mouth with her hand. “Santana was the first woman I’ve slept with but she’s not the only one I’ve been attracted to. In fact, that’s- that’s part of the reason it didn’t work with Puck.”

“Really?” Rachel tried not to look thrilled at that revelation but she wasn’t that successful.

“It wasn’t the only reason but it was part of it.” Quinn shook her head. “But that’s not the point. The point is, this is mutual. I want to be with you. You’re the only one who’s been there for me this whole time.”

“No. That’s- that’s exactly what I was afraid of. You’re mistaking gratitude for real feelings.” Rachel attempted to shove her away but Quinn held fast. “Please, Quinn.”

“Listen to me.” Quinn leaned down right into Rachel’s face. “I don’t let people help me. I never have. It’s difficult for me to trust that someone will be there when I really need them. But you- you just burst in and I was helpless to stop you.”

“Quinn, that doesn’t mean-”

“Not done talking.” Quinn rolled her eyes. “It was natural for me to trust you. I wanted to lean on you. That means something.”

“Quinn,” Rachel began, looking up at her. She wanted to believe her but it didn’t make any sense. “I can’t take advantage of you.”

“You’re not. I’m not some grief-stricken idiot throwing myself at the first person I come across in order to get rid of my pain.” Quinn traced Rachel’s lip with her thumb. “I know what I’m doing. And what I’d really like to do is to kiss you again.”

“I don’t know.” Rachel trembled. She wanted to give in but it didn’t feel right.

“Please, Rachel,” Quinn murmured against her lips.

“Mmm. Okay.” Rachel kissed her back, losing herself in Quinn’s touch. It was probably a bad idea but she was unable to resist.

\------------------

Smiling happily, Quinn watched as Rachel paced apprehensively around her room. It was pretty amusing to see Rachel’s nerves now that she knew the cause of them. Rachel didn’t want to be rid of her; she wanted to be close to her. And it was making her very jittery. She could work with that. “Rachel? Come sit down next to me.”

“Uh, what?” Rachel stared at Quinn.

“Come here.” Quinn patted the bed next to her, waiting until Rachel sat down to speak. “We spent an hour making out in your pool. You should be over your anxiety.”

“I- I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You’re thinking too much.” Quinn brushed the hair from Rachel’s face. “I’m sure about this.”

“I believe you believe that but-”

“But what?” Quinn ran her fingers over Rachel’s face.

“I can’t do this with you, give into my feelings and then find out that you didn’t really want this,” Rachel said carefully. “I care about you so much. I don’t know what I’d do if you changed your mind and I was left dealing with all of these feeling by myself.”

“Rachel, I wouldn’t ever hurt you.”

“Not purposely. But if you got into this with me and then realized it was only because you were upset about your dad, I would be left alone.” Rachel’s voice wobbled. “I mean, you never said anything about being attracted to me before.”

“This isn’t new, Rachel. I promise you.” Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel, tucking her against her body.

“Are you- you’re sure?” Rachel shivered as Quinn rubbed her hands over her arms.

“I am.” Quinn moved her lips to Rachel’s eyes. “It’s- it’s a little embarrassing looking back but I think there was always a part of me that wanted you. Even back in high school.”

Rachel startled in Quinn’s arms. “But you were so mean.”

Quinn laughed. “I was a bully with a crush, Rachel. I had to be mean to you in order to ignore those feelings. And then we became friends and that was great. Except there was something missing.”

“That sounds…”

“Stupid, I know,” Quinn finished for her as her face flushed. Looking back, Quinn felt ridiculous for treating Rachel so badly.

“No.” Rachel shook her head. “It actually makes sense. And I feel better knowing that this isn’t coming out of the blue for you.”

“It’s not.” Quinn shifted, her hands cupping Rachel’s face. “I never would’ve said anything because I never thought you’d feel the same but this is real, Rach. I really want you.”

“Good.” Rachel smiled before pulling Quinn down for a kiss.

“You’re awfully good at that,” Quinn whispered, pushing Rachel back on the bed.

“You talk too much.” Rachel scratched up and down Quinn’s back.

“Let’s step for a while.” Quinn trailed kisses along Rachel’s neck and words were gone for the rest of the night as they got lost in each other. It might take a while for Rachel to truly believe she was in this for real but Quinn was perfectly willing to put in the time convincing her.

\----------------

Bouncing over to the door, Rachel flung it open and shrieked when she saw Quinn. “Hi!”

“Hi.” Quinn caught Rachel as she jumped into her arms. “I guess you missed me.”

“I did.” Rachel dragged her through the loft and into her bedroom. “It’s been too long.”

“It’s been two days.” Quinn giggled, sitting next to Rachel on her bed.

“I know.” Rachel looked away, feeling a little silly. Being back in New York had been torture. She loved her job, there was nothing like being on stage. But she just wanted to spend all of her time with Quinn. She hadn’t realized how much time she had spent with her until she was gone and couldn’t see her anymore. “I’m so glad you’re here. But are you sure about this? You really want to spend your summer here?”

“Absolutely. My family’s fine and I have a job in the city. And I’ll get to see you. I can’t think of anything better.” Quinn took Rachel’s hand and intertwined their fingers.

“Me, either.” Rachel beamed, her heart racing. It was kind of amazing how Quinn made her feel safe and excited all at one. “You’re so lucky, working on a movie set.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty cool,” Quinn said sheepishly. “I’ll probably end up fetching coffee most of the time.”

“Still, your professor recommended you for it. That’s terrific.”

“It is. I’m just glad I found something in New York City. I’d hate to have to wait tables to have money to spend the summer with you.” Quinn brushed her nose against Rachel’s. “Although, it’d be worth it.”

“You’re so sweet.” Rachel closed her eyes. This was the best feeling, being wrapped up in Quinn.

“You’re easy to be sweet to.” Quinn stroked Rachel’s face, waiting for her to open her eyes. “I think this is going to be the best summer of my life.”

“Quinn-”

“Just listen. After my dad died, I hurt so badly. But you- you made it all better. You were this shining light in the darkness.” Quinn glanced away. “I love you, Rachel.”

“Oh, Quinn. Don’t be afraid.” Rachel met Quinn’s eyes, a slight smile on her face. “I love you, too.”

“That’s- that’s all I ever wanted to hear. I can’t believe this is happening.” Quinn’s eyes filled with tears.

“No crying.” Rachel cupped Quinn’s cheeks. “This is a good thing. I don’t know what’s going to happen but our life is just beginning. Anything is possible.”

“Yeah,” Quinn breathed out, looking at Rachel with happy, shining eyes. “We can do anything. So long as we’re together.”

“I can’t wait to start this life with you.” Rachel pulled Quinn even closer to her, feeling content. This was right. She knew it was. After all the trouble in their lives, she and Quinn were just starting something new and it would be wonderful. She had never felt like she was in exactly the right place until this moment.


End file.
